And Jesus Brought A Question Mark
by Sim Spider
Summary: Another alternate ending to AJBAC. ML, in case you hadn't guessed.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

A/n: I said I'd have a new story up soonish, so here it is. Hopefully quite a short one, because I really want to get Blitz and Maple Syrup finished before my exams. But this idea has been keeping me awake at night for a week, and if I don't get it out I'm going to turn into a total basket case (if I'm not one already).

It's yet another alternate ending to AJBAC, and kind of angsty. Starts as the X5s are running away from Manticore after blowing it up. Enjoy...

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**And Jesus Brought a Question Mark...**

Chapter 1

Zack ran through the forest, determined to outrun the X7s in hot pursuit. The day old bullet wound in his thigh screamed at him, but he ignored the pain through adrenaline and long practice. His enemies were close now; these kids were clearly far more advanced than the X5s. Guess Manticore learned from their mistakes, thought Zack grimly, firing off a burst towards them.

Then a bullet ripped through his shoulder and the X5 was down, a dozen of the younger transgenics all around him, their weapons aimed at his head.

Zack knew he was caught, again, as he stared into the familiar faces of his attackers. Himself, Krit, Syl, Jondy, Zane, Brin, Tinga... his whole family. Except for Max. Zack sent out a heartfelt prayer that she would survive, and escape to the life she'd always wanted, even if he could never share it with her.

It was the silence that was worrying him now. The X7s hadn't exchanged a word; at least, not one he was capable of hearing. Not even a hand signal.

Then, suddenly, as if the move was choreographed, they all flinched in unison. The group exchanged a single glance, then nodded as one, and all but two blurred into motion, vanishing into the forest.

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Max watched in shock as a girl clearly recognisable as a nine year old version of herself stepped into the clearing.

"Do you know who I am?" She asked.

In reply, the girl only raised her weapon and aimed it at her chest.

Max's usually lightning reflexes abandoned her and she froze, just staring at the X7 before her.

She didn't even blink as the shot echoed impossibly loudly through the clearing.

The X7 collapsed to the ground in a mist of blood, lying on her back in the dirt.

Max tore her eyes from the sight and looked around for the source of the bullet. Even in the half light, the tall, shadowy form, still with his gun arm outstretched, was unmistakable.

"Logan?" She said.

The soft word seemed to break the spell of silence following the shot. The gun dropped from Logan's suddenly nerveless fingers and he stumbled to the fallen child's side. He gathered her into his arms, cradling her head on his lap, before checking her wound and putting pressure on it.

"It's ok," he told the girl, voice trembling. "This isn't bad. I'm so sorry..."

"Why? You're the enemy," she said, confusion mingling with the pain in her voice.

"I'm not your enemy," said Logan softly, stroking her close cropped hair. "We came here to help you."

"But... you shot me..."

"I couldn't let you kill her..." A tear spilled onto his cheek. "Forgive me."

Max came to kneel beside them, placing a hand on his back. "Logan, we have to go. They'll be on to us any minute."

"No... I can't leave her. She'll bleed out."

"She's a soldier, Logan, not a child. She would have killed me without a thought."

"I know, Max; but I'm not... and she's so young... she looks just like you..."

"She's a clone. Recycled DNA. There's probably a dozen more just like her looking for us. We have to leave her."

"Like you left Brin?" Asked Logan, his words burning through Max.

"That's different and you know it," she snapped, controlling her emotions. "Come on, we have to get out of here."

Logan stood, lifting the injured girl into his arms as the exoskeleton protested at the extra weight.

"What the hell are you doing? Your legs are unreliable as it is!"

"I'm taking her back. They can fix her up in there. It's ok, honey, you'll be fine," he told the child reassuringly as he began to walk towards the burning building.

"Logan, that's suicide! Are you totally insane?"

"Go back to the van," he said. "I'll be there in a few minutes."

The sound of unnaturally fast feet in tiny army boots reached Max's sensitive ears. In desperation, she wrapped her arms around Logan's neck from behind in a knockout hold.

"I'm sorry, Logan," she told him, just before he blacked out. She took his weight as he collapsed, lowering him to the ground and prising the X7 from his grasp. His clothes were dark with her blood.

Max lifted the unconscious man onto her shoulder, sparing one last glance at the confused child still bleeding on the forest floor. Two pairs of identical dark eyes locked for a moment; and then Max was gone, running for the van as fast as she could under the burden of the man she loved.

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Zack's two guards were the X7 versions of Tinga and Ben. Despite the departure of the rest, Zack knew he had no chance against them. He was wounded, exhausted, and these were his dead siblings, as he remembered them from so long ago. He'd hesitate to hurt them, and it would cost him his life.

Then again, death would be better than going back. Images of the torture he'd endured during his last stay at Manticore flashed through Zack's head. He gathered himself for one final effort, watching Ben carefully as he tensed his muscles, one by one.

Ben's gaze flickered and Zack seized his chance. He grabbed the barrel of the rifle aimed at him and tried to wrench it out of the boy soldier's hands. Zack had barely turned the weapon on it's owner when he felt Tinga take him from behind, the butt of her gun thudding into the back of his knee. Automatically he dropped, still aiming the gun at Ben and pulling the trigger as the boy began to dodge.

The bullets went wide, only one grazing Ben's arm. Tinga began to throttle Zack with her gun as Ben delivered a series of dazzlingly fast punches and kicks to his body. One of them smashed into the gunshot wound in Zack's thigh and he cried out, the sound seeming loud in the silent forest.

It was a sound that saved his life.

Syl somersaulted into Tinga, throwing her forwards over Zack's head, while Krit dropped out of a tree overhead to land on top of Ben, knocking him to the ground.

Two and a half X5s against two X7s, thought Zack muzzily, as they squared up to one another. Let's see how much progress you've made in the last ten years, Manticore.

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Lydecker looked up to see Max running into the rendezvous clearing, carrying an unconscious and bloodstained Logan.

"Where's he hit?" He asked, reaching for the first aid kit as she laid him gently in the back of the van.

"He isn't. Just out cold. Any sign of the others?"

"Syl and Krit should be here any minute. Zack's ceased communications."

"Last known location?" Max asked, ready to go out and find her brother.

Just then, Syl dashed into the clearing, closely followed by Krit who was supporting a wounded Zack.

"Let's get the hell out of here," said Syl, as they all piled into the van.

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So? What did you think?


	2. Chapter 2

A/n: Thank you so much for your kind reviews, everyone.

I'm afraid the non- cliffy thing isn't going to happen, Maria. It's not my fault, it's the ECWS, honest!

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Chapter 2:

Zack, Syl and Krit sat around the table in one of Logan's safe houses, all watching Lydecker mistrustfully as he slept on the couch.

"What are we gonna do with him?" Asked Krit.

"Way I see it, we have three options," Zack answered. "Kill him, keep him around or let him go."

"Personally, I'm not too keen on option three," said Syl. "I trust Lydecker considerably less far than I can throw him."

"Me neither," said Krit. "Who knows what he could get up to."

"I say we kill him and get it over with," said Zack. "Leaving him alive risks tactical exposure."

"But we might need what he knows," said Syl. "If it turns out he could tell us how to cure our seizures... or the aging disease that got Brin..."

"Or tell whoever else is looking for us what we look like and how to find Max?" Said Zack.

"Max can't be dumb enough to stick around Seattle after this, though, can she?" Asked Krit.

"I've been trying to get her to leave for eight months," said Zack. "She refused even when Lydecker knew she was here."

"Is it because of this Logan guy?" Syl smiled as Zack scowled at the name. "It is, isn't it?"

"How sweet," added Krit. "Dumb, but sweet. Why didn't she just take him with her?"

"Too conspicuous," grunted Zack. "And he'd have slowed her down. He knew that, even if she didn't. Anyway, we were discussing Lydecker."

"We should wait, and ask Maxie what she thinks," said Syl. "It's her ass on the line too."

"If anything, we should be asking all of the others," remarked Krit. "They have every right to know what's gone down. And I doubt that Manticore will be too worried about us right now; this is the perfect opportunity for an X5 reunion."

"No way," said Zack immediately. "Just because they're out of the game right now doesn't mean they will be in future. And there's no way I'd be able to keep you all safe if every one of you knew where all the others lived."

"Come on, Zack, we haven't seen our siblings in more than eleven years," argued Syl. "If you had your way none of us would see any of the others."

"This is the first time since the escape Manticore hasn't been actively looking for us, Zack," said Krit. "If we're not going to get to see them now, then when? Another ten years? Twenty? Never?"

"I'll think about it," grunted Zack, "when we know exactly what the situation is with them. I'll contact my informant, and if they're really shutting down the project..."

"Wow, Zack. I didn't think it was possible, but I think you're starting to relax," said Syl with a grin.

"Go wash your mouth out, soldier," replied Zack, but he couldn't resist the smile creeping over his features.

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Finally, after much longer than Max would have liked, Logan's eyes fluttered open.

"Max?" He said blearily.

"I'm here, Logan," she replied.

"How'd I get here?" He asked, squinting around at the familiar surroundings of his bedroom.

"Drove the van back to the warehouse, then brought you home in the Aztec. How're you feeling?" Max asked tentatively.

"I've been better," he replied, reaching for his glasses on the nightstand. His crystal blue eyes avoided her gaze as he spoke again. "Where's my chair?" He asked.

Wordlessly, Max rose and pushed it closer to the bed, setting the brakes for him. She watched while he transferred, and then wheeled slowly into his ensuite bathroom. After a couple of minutes, the shower started. Max just moved into the kitchen and made the coffee while she waited.

It was a long time before Logan emerged, hair still damp, in sweats and a t shirt that had clearly been the first thing he'd laid a hand on. He accepted the coffee Max poured him without comment and wedged it between his unfeeling legs as he pushed over to the window. Max watched him carefully, trying to guess his thoughts, but his expression was blank, mind elsewhere. She thought she had a good idea where; in a small clearing in a forest, watching a woman and a girl face off against one another.

The stress of being ignored was starting to get to Max; it was true she'd never been good at being patient.

"You still speaking to me?" She asked, when she couldn't bear it any longer.

"I was just thinking," he replied distantly.

"Care to share?" Asked Max.

"Not really."

"Look, Logan, if you're going to be mad at me could you just yell? It'd make this a hell of a lot simpler, not to mention quicker."

"I'm not mad at you, Max." That brought her up short.

"You're not? But... I knocked you out."

"You did what you had to to protect me. How can I be mad at you for that?"

"Then... why are you being so off with me? What did I do? Or are you just freaked out, now you've seen who I used to be?"

"It's not you, Max. Well, not like you mean."

"Then what?" Max made her way over to him, crouching beside his chair. Logan just stared out of the window, oblivious to her proximity.

"I killed a child last night, Max. I didn't even hesitate before I pulled the trigger."

"You had no choice, Logan. She was trying to kill me."

"I could have aimed for the arm, shoulder maybe, but I hit her in the chest, because I wanted to kill her. Right there, in that second, I wanted to murder that little girl. Because she was a threat to you. I let my feelings for you cloud my mind until that was all that mattered, knowing you were all right. No matter who had to suffer to keep you safe."

"And when she fell..." Logan faltered, and then tried again, his voice shaky. When she fell, I was happy. No, I was ecstatic, because she was down and you weren't. How could I feel that, Max? Feel joy at taking life?"

Max took his jaw in her fingers, turning his head to face her. The brilliant eyes she'd always loved were haunted, clouded with pain and self doubt.

"You think I wouldn't have done the same, if it had been you in front of that gun?" She asked softly. "You did the right thing, Logan. It was war, and you won." She began to lean in to kiss him, but Logan jerked away, unable to meet her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Max, I just... I can't do this right now."

Max covered her disappointment quickly, not wanting him to feel guiltier than he did already. "It's ok," she said. "I understand. We have all the time in the world, remember?"

"Yeah. I guess we do," he said softly, before changing the subject, like he always did. "You want something to eat?"

"Sure, if you feel like cooking."

"How does bacon and eggs sound? I'm pretty sure Bling managed to score some at the market the other day."

"Like I'd turn down anything you offered," said Max, her tone approaching their normal banter. She sat up on the counter like she always did while Logan burrowed around in the back of the refrigerator.

"I wouldn't, you know," she added, more seriously.

"Wouldn't what?" Logan asked, distracted by his search.

"Wouldn't turn you down. Whatever you're willing to give me, I'll take, so long as you're still in my life. Whether it's just a quid pro quo or the whole deal; flowers, jewellery..." her voice dropped to a shy whisper. "A potential public humiliation..." Logan stilled as he was preparing to back out of the fridge, lap laden with food. "And if I wanted to give you everything?" He asked, trying to control his voice while he hid behind the door.

"Then you'd make me the happiest chimera on the face of the Earth," Max replied honestly, wondering if she was pushing him too far.

Logan was silent for a moment. "You get lost in there?" She joked timidly. "Logan?" Max asked, when he still didn't respond.

Logan wheeled out and shut the fridge door behind him, meeting Max's nervous gaze with his own searching one.

"Max..." he began.

And then the door swung open and Bling's voice cut through the air.

"Logan? You here?" Both of them closed their eyes and sighed, as the therapist made his way into the kitchen. "Everything ok?" He asked.

"Yeah, everything's fine, Bling," said Logan tiredly, turning his chair towards the stove. "I was just about to make bacon and eggs; you want some?"

"I don't wanna intrude, if you two have things to talk about..." said Bling slowly, catching on that he was interrupting.

"No, it's cool," said Max. "I should be going soon anyway. Gotta check in with OC before I swing by the safe house to catch up with the family."

"You sure? I just wanted to check you got back ok; wasn't planning on sticking around."

"It's fine, Bling," said Logan, dumping the contents of his lap on the counter. "There's fresh coffee in the pot; help yourself."

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Renfro paced restlessly in the waiting room of the committee building. The night before had been the biggest disaster of her career. The entire DNA database had been destroyed by four rogue X5s and a disgruntled former employee she was supposed to have contained. To make it worse, a number of regular soldiers and three X-series had been killed, with many more injured. And not one of the attackers had sustained more than a superficial wound, as far as anyone knew.

There was no way the committee would blame the losses on anyone but her. If they'd recaptured even one X5 Renfro knew she could have salvaged the operation. Unless she could give them something, anything, in the meeting in the next five minutes both Elizabeth Renfro and the Manticore Project were as good as dead.

Just then, her cell phone rang and she picked up, hopeful it would be something she could use. "Renfro."

"X5 734 reporting, ma'am," came the cold voice of Brin.

"What do you have?" The director asked, trying not to sound desperate.

"An X7 who was shot in the woods relayed some information to the rest of her unit before losing consciousness, ma'am. It seems she encountered X5 452 and attempted to fire on her when another individual shot the X7. He is believed to be a civilian."

"Do we have an ID?"

"No, ma'am; the X7 was unable to transmit more than a vague description. However, we believe we have recovered the weapon used. We should be able to take fingerprints and DNA from that. We also have a partial name."

"A name?" What is it?

"Logan, ma'am."

Renfro drew in a long breath, and then let it go in heartfelt relief.

"Good work, 734. I'll see to it that you get a promotion for this. You may have just saved the entire Manticore project."

"Thank you, ma'am," said Brin, as Renfro hung up, a sadistic smile starting to form on her features.

"Director Renfro, the Committee will see you now," said a secretary sweetly.

Renfro stepped confidently into the shadowed board room, her stiletto heels soundless on the thick pile carpet.

"Well, Elizabeth," said a deep, commanding voice from one of the circle of chairs. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Gentlemen," Renfro began, "some new information has come to light..."

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So? What did you think?


	3. Chapter 3

A/n: Thanks again for your wonderfully encouraging reviews, guys.

Fingers crossed, the new Blitz chap should be up in a couple of days, and I guarantee massive fluff content. We're talking candyfloss fiction here. In fact, I'm getting action scene withdrawal...

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Chapter 3:

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"Hey, kids, I'm home," said Max, letting herself into the safe house where her siblings and Lydecker were staying, balancing a cardboard box on her hip.

"Hey, Max," said Krit, looking up from the dismantled handgun he was cleaning.

"Where is everyone?" Asked Max, setting the box down on the table beside him.

"Zack's sleeping, Syl's keeping an eye on Lydecker while he tries to find out what's happening at Manticore. What's that?"

"Brought you some supplies," said Max. "Anything new come up overnight?"

"Nope. Been pretty dull around here. Except Zack said if Manticore really is shutting down he'd let us have an X5 reunion."

"You're kidding. Zack said we could see the others? I didn't know those X7s got in any cracks to his head."

"They didn't," said Zack, emerging from a bedroom. "And I said I'd think about it. Miracle Boy not with you?"

Max's face fell. "Logan's still a little off his game from last night. Anyway, he knew I wanted a chance to talk to you guys."

"Are you gonna make me say it again, Max?" Asked Zack. "He ties you here, stops your safety being your top priority. Why can't you see that he's going to get you killed?"

"He saved my life last night, Zack," snapped Max. "Not for the first time. And as I recall, he's saved your ass once or twice as well. Get it in your head; Logan can protect me just as well as you can. And there is no way I'm leaving him just as the pressure's letting up."

Max's smouldering brown eyes locked onto Zack's icy blue ones, defying his authority. They stayed locked for an unbearably long moment.

Then Zack looked away. "All right, Maxie," he said. "It's your decision how you live your life."

"Damn straight," said Max, but there was a hint of bewilderment in her voice that he should give up so easily.

Just then, the door opened and Syl entered, dragging Lydecker with her.

"Hey, guys," the blonde X5 said, picking up on the tension. "I miss anything?"

"Nothing important," said Zack. "Did you get any intel?"

"I've put out feelers to a few contacts I have in Manticore still loyal to me," said Lydecker, examining the scene with narrowed eyes. "They should be getting back to me in the next day or two."

"Good," said Zack, still suspicious.

"I brought junk food," said Max. "How about we tie Lydecker up somewhere and hang out for the afternoon?"

"Sounds good to me," said Krit. "But don't you wanna go play nurse with your boyfriend?"

"He's not my boyfriend," said Max automatically.

And he isn't, she realised, even as the others looked sceptical, eyebrows raised. I practically proposed to him this morning and he still isn't my boyfriend. But I think, when he's wrapped his head around this whole X7 thing, he might want to be. I just have to give him a little time. He'll come around; I mean, this is Logan, right?

Logan, the most stubborn, pigheaded man on the planet? A little voice sneered at her. Who gave up all his money for his principles; who says he won't give you up for them too?

Shut up, Max told herself fiercely. He said he wanted to give me everything. And I believe him. If I can't have faith in Logan, I can't have it in anything.

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Renfro leaned back in her executive swivel chair in her Manticore office and sighed. The committee had given her one week to locate and destroy Lydecker and the rogue X5s. And the only lead she had was a civilian they hadn't managed to identify yet. His fingerprints hadn't been listed on any database anywhere, as far as they could tell, which was suspicious in itself. She had the entire lab staff working on the DNA they'd managed to pull off the gun, but DNA analysis takes time, and so far they had nothing.

Renfro puzzled over who this 'Logan' could be. They knew enough about his DNA to know for sure he wasn't an X5, or any other kind of transgenic for that matter. What possible grudge could he have against Manticore? Was he another former employee, like Lydecker? Or could it be that he was connected to the X5s in another way?

Renfro almost wished to have Lydecker back; the man was an incompetent pain in the ass, but he understood how his 'kids' thought better than anyone.

Then a thought occurred to Renfro that made her sit up, amazed it hadn't hit her sooner. She reached for her computer and pulled up the file on X5 452.

"Of course," she purred. "He saved 452; there must be a connection there... And for the last few months, she's been living in..."

Renfro picked up her phone and put a call through to the computer lab. "This is Renfro. I want a list of all the males named Logan resident in the city of Seattle on my desk ASAP."

"Yes, ma'am," came the rather frightened reply.

Renfro sat back and smiled. Perhaps this mission was possible after all.

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Logan was still just sitting in his chair, gazing unseeing out of the window, for some hours after Max left. He was lost in thought, not even noticing when the sky began to darken towards night. He finally snapped out of it when the phone rang; for the first time since he'd met her, Logan found himself praying it wasn't Max as the answering machine picked up.

"Hey, Logan, it's me." Figures, thought Logan bitterly.

"C'mon, pick up, I know you're there. I was just gonna take my peeps over to Crash; thought you might wanna come. You know, kick back and take your mind off things? We'll be there all night if you want to join us; gonna leave Lydecker chained to something for the evening. Anyway, hope I see ya there. Late."

Suddenly, Logan felt trapped, confined. Everything in his apartment – everything in the city – reminded him of Max. He needed space, somewhere free of memories of the woman he loved to try and sort out his tangled emotions. Every time he saw her face, even in his mind's eye, he saw the child he'd killed in her defence; and the guilt threatened to overwhelm him.

Children were meant to be protected; Logan had lived by this principle all his life. It was part of the reason he'd started Eyes Only in the first place. He'd always defended those weaker than himself, like when Bennett had been bullied at their boarding school. Logan had used his size, age and athletic status to force the other boys to leave his baby cousin alone.

Now, he was responsible for the death of an innocent child, who knew no better than to obey the doctrine that had been hammered into her all her short life and attempt to hurt Max. A few years ago she could have been Max; the image of the girl's familiar dark eyes, filled with pain and confusion as she lay bleeding in his arms, was more than Logan could take.

Decision made, Logan set about making the necessary arrangements for his trip, hoping the physical activity would distract him from his thoughts.

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So? Any thoughts?


	4. Chapter 4

A/n: Sorry this took so long, guys! An attack of RL. And after all this time, the chapter has no plot content whatsoever. Oh well. At least it's not cliffy.

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Chapter 4:

Max led her three siblings into Crash, scanning the crowds for her Jam Pony friends. She spotted Cindy, Kendra, Herbal and Sketchy at a table but kept looking, wondering if Logan had gotten her message. Only when she was sure he wasn't there did she lead them over to meet her workmates.

"Cool place, Maxie," said Krit approvingly.

"You ain't even met my peeps yet, Krit," she replied. "Hey, guys," Max called out.

"Hey boo," Said Cindy, looking Syl over appreciatively. "Who's your fine new friend?"

Sketchy was just staring, mouth hanging slackly open as he stared at the beautiful blonde X5, while Kendra was trying to decide whether she wanted to drool over Zack or Krit.

"Actually, they're very old friends," she said, giving OC a pointed look. "Syl, Krit and Zack, this is Original Cindy, Kendra, Herbal and Sketchy." Zack watched the dawning understanding on OC's face with a mixture of disbelief, anger and exasperation.

"Zack? Aren't you that guy Sam?" Slurred Sketchy, just barely looking away from Syl.

"No," said Zack evenly. "You must be thinking about someone else."

"You do have one of those faces, bro," said Krit with a grin. Zack glared at him.

"Oh, don't listen to him, honey," said Kendra seductively. "I think your face is very memorable." The object of her affections looked uncomfortable, muttering something about getting in a pitcher and vanishing towards the bar.

Max, Syl and Krit took one look at Kendra's face and burst out laughing.

"Hey!" She said, sounding hurt. "Are you laughing at me? Don't tell me... he's gay, isn't he?"

The three X5's only laughed harder, tears of amusement streaming down their faces.

"Kendra..." Max managed eventually. "Zack's just not really a friendly guy, ok?"

"Yeah," added Krit, trying desperately to look serious. "He's shy." This brought fresh merriment from his sisters.

"Then he's straight? And single?" Asked Kendra hopefully.

"Yeah, as far as I know," choked Syl. "Although he's always been kinda... sensitive..."

"Aww, I like sensitive guys. They're great in bed," said Kendra.

Abruptly, Max stopped laughing, just as Krit collapsed on the floor, clutching his ribs.

"Ugh!" She said. "That is so not an image I want in my head ever again."

"I feel ya, boo," said Original Cindy, holding up her glass.

Zack arrived back with two pitchers of beer, looking around (and in Krit's case down) at the expressions on everyone's faces.

"What'd I miss?" He asked, as they all dissolved into laughter again. Only Kendra wasn't laughing; she was far too busy admiring his pecs with a predatory smile.

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Renfro leaned casually over a terrified tech in Manticore's computer lab as if he were part of the furniture, totally focussed on the screen before them.

"Report," she said curtly, tapping a long acrylic fingernail on the desk.

"Well, ma'am, as far as we know there are one thousand two hundred and seventy six males called Logan in Seattle. That is first, middle and last names; we don't know which applies to our guy. The tech was babbling in fear of his boss. If she found out that he'd been helping the rogues...

"Excellent," said Renfro approvingly. "Eliminate those under fifteen and over fifty." The tech typed a command swiftly.

"Nine hundred and twenty two left, ma'am."

"Get that unit of X7s in here and show them all the mug shots. They should be able to narrow the field a little more even if they didn't get a full image download."

"Yes, ma'am." It seemed the safest thing to say.

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"Don't think I haven't noticed, Max," said Syl softly. The two female X5s were sitting with Original Cindy, watching the antics of Zack, Krit and a drunken Kendra.

"Noticed what?" Asked Max, trying for nonchalance. Obviously her sister didn't buy it.

"You're watching the door. Are we in danger, or are you just hoping a certain someone is gonna show up and join us?"

"I... it's complicated," Max hedged.

"No it's not, boo," said Original Cindy. "You're still feelin all insecure about that man of yours. What's his problem this time; don't tell me it's the chair again?"

"What chair?" Asked Syl, confused.

"Long story," said Max dismissively. "No, it's something else." She dropped her voice to a barely audible whisper. "He killed an X7 to protect me."

"Why is that a problem?" Asked Syl.

"Because Logan doesn't see us as soldiers; he sees us as human beings. Which means that in his mind, he murdered a child last night. And I don't know if he's going to be able to deal with that."

"The boy has a way overdeveloped conscience," Cindy explained to the confused X5.

"Damn. You sure can pick 'em, Maxie," said Syl. "Hot, rich and sympathetic."

"He's not rich any more; and it's not sympathy. It's compassion, and understanding, and empathy... and... Logan..."

"And you're scared you might lose him because of it," finished OC. "I'm tellin ya, boo, the man is crazy about you. He'd risk everything to protect you; and he has, plenty of times. He'll come around, if you just give him some time to get his strange little male mind into shape."

"Original Cindy's right," said Syl. "I've only known the guy five minutes and even I can see he's crazy about you. Give him some space for a couple days and then the two of you can get back to knockin boots." Max blushed beetroot.

OC held out a fist for Syl to bump. "Aiight, my sister. I've been sayin that for the past year; those two are slower than gas lines in winter."

"You're kidding," said the blonde X5 incredulously. "Are you saying the two of you have known each other for a whole year and you haven't..."

"Speaking of slow," said Max, trying to divert their attention from her love life. "You think we should go rescue Zack before Kendra does somethin she'll regret?"

"Nah," said OC. "Our girl Kendra may be a little too into anything in pants but she never regrets it in the mornin. Sides, it'd break Krit's heart; he's gonna tell everyone he ever meets about the great Zack being 'shy and sensitive'."

"Yeah, although I think he should stop using buying more beer as an excuse to get away from her, or she's gonna ralph all over him," said Max. "Sketch and Herbal are already paralytic."

"Too late," said Syl. "Guess now he has to take her home."

"Can't. Walter would love that. He'll just have to spend the night with her at our place," Max grinned evilly.

"Good as that sounds, boo, Original Cindy is not sharing our apartment with a male. Even overnight."

"You don't have to; you can come back to the safe house with us. I'll just go break the good news to Brother Dearest."

"Oh yeah," said Syl to OC with a grin, seeing his expression. "Krit is gonna milk this for the next decade."

"Longer than that, boo, longer than that," the girl replied, taking another swig of beer.

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Tell me what you thought.


	5. Chapter 5

A/n: Firstly, thanks for your reviews, everyone.

Secondly, I'm very, very sorry for the delay on this chapter. RL has come back to bite me in the arse. My updating on all my current stories is going to be appalling for the next month at least, probably two. Please, bear with me.

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Chapter 5:

Zack checked his voice mailbox from Max's apartment, while Kendra snored softly in her sleep.

"You have one new message," came the familiar recording.

"It's Richardson," said the terrified voice of his Manticore informant. "Listen, what you did has got Renfro seriously pissed. She's got the whole staff looking for some guy called Logan in Seattle. If she doesn't find him they're going to shut down the project and we're all toast. Please, you gotta help me! I found 656 for you, doesn't that count for anything? Just… call me back, soon, please?"

Thoughtfully, Zack hung up. So Manticore had somehow found out about Logan. That was dangerous. It meant he had the same set of choices with Logan as he had with Lydecker; send him away, keep him around… or kill him.

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Logan stood on a clifftop, watching with unseeing eyes as the waves broke on the beach below. He'd always loved the sounds and sight of the ocean; the briny smell seemed to cut through all the polluted city air he'd been breathing so long. The soothing rhythm of the mighty Pacific helped him think, even as the lazy wind seemed to blow right through him.

He loved Max. He loved her so much that every second they were apart he felt a continual ache in his chest. Logan had never felt so powerfully about anyone in his life; he'd thought he knew what love was before he met her, but now…

He knew instinctively that this emotion would be with him as long as he lived; and being separate from her would simply cause the ache to get worse and worse. This bond was unbreakable; it was like they were two halves of the same being.

I never believed I had a soul mate, until I met her, he thought. I'd do anything for her. Fight, die, kill, anything. Whatever it took to keep her safe.

Would I give up Eyes Only, if she asked me to? My life's work, helping thousands of people? Would I give up the Informant Net to protect her? Knowing how many lives it would cost?

Yes, came an insistent whisper from deep inside. Anything.

How can I let that happen? These people have put their lives in my hands; how can I even contemplate killing them all because of my own selfish desires?

Logan stood there for a long time, watching the spectacular sunset over the restless ocean. Finally, as true night fell, he moved his stiff limbs, realising suddenly how cold he was. The great Eyes Only stumbled to his car, numb fingers fumbling to unlock it and chilled limbs struggling to climb inside. He managed to start the car after several attempts and turned the heating right up.

Just my luck, he thought, a slight smile curving his lips at the irony. I come here to sort my head out and end up scrambling it with hypothermia. Probably come down with pneumonia next…

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Max let herself back into her apartment soundlessly, creeping through until she came to her own room. Kendra was fast asleep in her bed, still fully dressed and smearing makeup on the pillows. Zack was standing over her, arms folded sternly, as if on guard duty. Max suppressed a grin as her normally stoical older brother unbent a little to pull the blanket further up her unconscious form.

"Ever think of taking a job as a nurse, Zack?" She whispered.

"Max. I was expecting you hours ago. Been with Miracle Boy again?"

"No, actually; I've been catching up with Krit and Syl. And would you stop calling him that?"

"Would have thought you'd want to save all that for the reunion," he said, offhandedly.

"You're letting us have one?" Max was astonished.

"We leave for New York at noon," Zack confirmed. "I've already notified the others."

Max hugged him fiercely, tears pricking at her eyes. "Thank you, Zack," she said.

"Hey," slurred Kendra, "either shut up or get a room."

"Kendra, one, this is my room, and two, don't be gross, he's my brother. Go back to sleep."

A groan was her only reply as Max led Zack back out into the living area.

"I can't believe you're actually letting us have a reunion," said Max, still shocked. "Whatever happened to phoney sentimentality?"

"Like Krit said, the last thing Manticore will be worrying about right now is us. We might as well take the opportunity while we can. You have gas?"

"Yeah, filled up and a can spare. Should be plenty to get the Aztec somewhere we can refill, even if Logan's on empty, which he never is…"

"What's Logan got to do with anything? This is an X5 reunion, Max; family only."

"You're not serious?" Said Max, incredulously. "Logan's as much my family as you are."

"He's not one of us, Max. He can't understand half of what we've been through; he wasn't there."

"He understands a hell of a lot more than you think. He may have had money, but believe me his life's been anything but easy."

"Yeah well how many people can say they've been tortured every day for ten years? Watched the people they love die right in front of them? Spent half their lives on the run with the whole world after their ass?"

"Not many," said Max quietly. "But Logan comes close." Zack eyed her with scepticism.

"It's your choice, Maxie," he said simply. "You can come with us, alone, or you can stay here, with him. But he is not welcome; there's only nine people on the planet who are."

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"Report," said Renfro eagerly, standing over the same tech and examining the set of photographs in front of her with far more enthusiasm than he was comfortable with.

"The X7s picked out six possibilities, ma'am, only five of which could actually be our target," he told her nervously.

"Why, what discounts the other one?" She asked.

"Logan Cale was paralysed in a shooting around a year ago, ma'am. Unless you believe in miracles, there's no way he could have been running around in our forest the other night."

"Very well. Have the others brought in, fingerprinted and interrogated. I want to know which of them it was, and I want to know yesterday. Good work, Robertson."

"It's Richardson, ma'am," the luckless tech corrected, but Renfro was already out the door. "Although it could be worse," he added under his breath. "I'm just glad my name's not Logan…"

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Max picked the lock on the penthouse with the ease of long practice and slipped inside. There was no way she could turn down the offer of a reunion with the family she'd missed so long; but she was damned if she was going to leave Logan without at least letting him know where she was going. And a reassurance that she'd be back, no matter what.

The apartment was in silence; Max wondered if Logan was still sitting by the window, staring out at the view. She moved to check, but found the expanse of glass deserted.

Maybe he went to sleep, or he's sitting in his office, she thought. Both bedroom and computer were abandoned, but there was a note taped to the darkened monitor. She pulled it off and read Logan's elegant but near indecipherable scrawl with an increasing sense of dread.

_Max, _

_Gone away for a few days to clear my head. Hard drives are all at Sebastian's if you need anything. _

_Logan. _

_PS, help yourself to whatever's in the fridge._

Max clutched the note tightly, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. He left me, she thought. I can't believe he just left me like that; not even a phone call... A damn note...

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Tell me what you thought.


	6. Chapter 6

A/n: I've rewritten part of this because I didn't like it much and there was a whole chunk I accidentally repeated from chapter five. Sorry about that, guys.

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Chapter 6:

The X7s were worried. None of their handlers had picked up on the tension in the group; perhaps the only member of staff who could have done so was Lydecker. He was the only person to consider that the X series could have emotions, bonds of love and fellowship that forged them into their tight knit units.

The hive minds of the X7 group meant that each of them sensed the feelings of all the others; and the void where X7 452 had always been was disquieting to them all. The last messages they'd received from her were confusing in themselves; the enemy that had shot their sister had risked his own life to help her get the medical treatment she needed. The action went completely against the military training that was their only behavioural example.

It was in the middle of the night that the whole group felt the void filled as she regained consciousness.

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Max should have been the happiest she'd ever been in her life. She was out on the open road, with her motorcycle purring beneath her and the wind whipping her hair back from her face. Zack rode his Ducati just in front of her while Krit and Syl brought up the rear in the beat up Cadillac they'd arrived in. Lydecker was bound and blindfolded in the back seat. They were on their way to the reunion she'd longed for for the past eleven years. No one was chasing them. They were safe, and free, and she should have been happy.

But suddenly there was something missing; or rather someone. Logan.

When exactly did I start depending on him so much? She asked herself as she rode. I mean I've got my family back; why do I still need Logan? They were the reason I hooked up with him in the first place. I only went along with all those Eyes Only missions so he'd help me find them.

And then I stopped going to see if he had any info for me yet and started going just to be with him. To watch him while he slept on his keyboard, to force him to feed me when I knew he'd pulled another all-nighter on his mission and forgotten to eat. To kick his ass at chess without paying attention so I could just enjoy looking at him, feeling him near me. To let him be strong for me, whenever it got too much. To make me feel safe… And to make sure that he was ok, he was still there, he'd always be there for me if I needed him. Because I do need him, more than I ever thought possible.

Maybe Original Cindy was right about the whole love dealio. Maybe that's what it is, the sick feeling in the pit of my stomach when he's in danger. The gooey thing that happens when he smiles at me. The way Normal's wrath is worth putting up with just so I can sneak over to see him in my breaks. The way I miss him so much that I'd turn around and go back if I found out he'd come home.

I wonder if he'll ever forgive himself for killing the X7. He still hasn't gotten over Cape Haven, and I'm not sure he will. There's some part of him that can't justify taking life, no matter what the reason. If it wasn't for the pulse he'd probably have wound up campaigning for human rights for the third world; I guess that is what Eyes Only does, protect those without a voice.

Zack slowed suddenly, heading for an off ramp to a small gas station. Shaking herself from her thoughts, Max followed. The four X5s parked outside the dilapidated diner and were about to head inside when Max suddenly did a double take towards the freeway, her pupils dilating until the irises all but disappeared.

"Max? What is it?" Asked Krit in concern. She turned back towards him, her eyes regaining normal focus.

"I thought I saw…" she began, and then stopped. "It's nothing. Let's go in; I hear the caffeine calling." From the scowl on Zack's face, Max guessed he'd seen that the object of her attention had been a dusty blue SUV.

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The X7s marvelled at the images projected to them by their wounded sister; they were clearer this time, since she wasn't bleeding to death while trying to send them. The X5's attempt at conversation could well have been a diversionary tactic designed to delay and confuse her opponent, and as such was rightly ignored by the younger transgenic. She moved to fire, but before she could pull the trigger white-hot lead tore into her chest and she was flat on her back in the dirt. Through a haze of pain, she barely heard the quiet name.

"_Logan?" _

Then gentle hands were lifting her, checking her wound, holding her close with a tenderness she'd never even imagined could exist.

"_It's ok," Logan told the girl, voice trembling. "This isn't bad. I'm so sorry..."_

Soldiers weren't supposed to act like this! Didn't he know she was an X7, one of the most advanced killing machines ever made? Why would an enemy apologise for killing her? It didn't make any sense.

"_Why? You're the enemy," she said, confusion mingling with the pain in her voice. _

"_I'm not your enemy," said Logan softly, stroking her close cropped hair. "We came here to help you." _ Help her? This made even less sense. Manticore was her life; she lived to serve the project that had created her. And how could she be helped by being attacked?

"_But... you shot me..." _

"_I couldn't let you kill her..." A tear spilled onto his cheek. "Forgive me."_

The words reverberated again and again in her head. He asked her to forgive him for shooting her, most likely killing her, even though by doing so he had saved one of his own unit. The X7 would have happily killed a hundred enemies to protect her unit; and she certainly wouldn't have cared what they thought of her.

_The X5 came to kneel beside them, her soft voice interrupting her younger counterpart's turbulent thoughts. "Logan, we have to go. They'll be on to us any minute." _

"_No... I can't leave her. She'll bleed out."_ Why should he care? He was the one who caused her injury in the first place; he should be finishing her off and making good his own escape.

"_She's a soldier, Logan, not a child. She would have killed me without a thought." _

"_I know, Max; but I'm not... and she's so young... she looks just like you..."_ Max? The female was X series, like her; what need did she have of a name when she had a designation? Then again, she was a traitor; it seemed the outside world could corrupt even Manticore's finest.

"_She's a clone. Recycled DNA. There's probably a dozen more just like her looking for us. We have to leave her." _

"_Like you left Brin?" _Her puzzlement only deepened. Who could this Brin be? Another rogue?

"_That's different and you know it. Come on, we have to get out of here." _The gentle arms tightened around her slender form and she felt herself being lifted. Were they going to take her prisoner of war? Why? What was their objective? To gain Manticore technology?

"_What the hell are you doing? Your legs are unreliable as it is!"_

"_I'm taking her back. They can fix her up in there. It's ok, honey, you'll be fine." _

Honey? What's honey? Why is he calling me that? Why is he walking back into Manticore? He'll be killed!

"_Logan, that's suicide! Are you totally insane?"_

"_Go back to the van," he said. "I'll be there in a few minutes." _

There was a blur of painful movement and activity and the X7 found herself deposited on the ground once more. Her vision began to grey as the X5 lifted the unconscious form of Logan onto her shoulder. For a moment, X7 452 found herself looking into her own eyes before the woman turned and was gone.

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Renfro strode into the infirmary, covering her eagerness with false concern as X7 452 tried to get up and salute, causing her obvious pain.

"At ease, 452," she said. "How are your injuries?"

"I am recovering adequately, ma'am," the girl informed her, deadpan.

"Excellent. Now, report. I want to know everything you remember about the man who shot you."

"He is a civilian, ma'am; his name is Logan."

"I know that, the others told me. I want some detail, something to help us track him down. Think, soldier, did he say anything, do anything that we could use?"

"I heard him mention the name Brin," she volunteered, "and he referred to one of the rogue X5s as 'Max'."

"That only proves he's in the confidence of the rogues; what else? Give me something to go on, soldier, or your whole unit will be on 24 hour perimeter patrol for a week!"

"The X5 said something about him being defective," the X7 told her. Renfro leaned in until she was only inches from the injured child.

"Defective in what way? What were her exact words?"

"She said, "Your legs are unreliable as it is," ma'am."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, ma'am," the girl replied, surprised that she should ask.

"Well done, X7 452," said Renfro, an almost predatory smile forming on her features. "I think that piece of information may be the key to saving the whole Manticore project." The director swept out, leaving the child soldier lying back on her bed trying to work out the unfamiliar emotion she was experiencing. The only thing she could compare it to was when her brother 493 had been wounded by a bullet from her gun during a live ordnance drill.

The trouble was, this wasn't something she could atone for with punishment; she'd have to figure out how to get rid of it on her own.

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This chapter only got two reviews last time; let me know if you thought this version was better.


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